Toyota invited a group of Supra super-fans to an evening event with Tetsuya Tada, in which the chief engineer of the new A90 Supra gave owners of all four previous generations an exclusive introduction to the camouflaged prototype.
The top secret, invite-only event occurred during the long weekend of the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where the keenly anticipated new fifth-generation Supra made its world debut.
Earlier in the day, Tada-san had given thousands of enthusiasts an early taste of the vehicle’s dynamic performance by driving up the famous festival hill course, after which the prototype was whisked away to another location in West Sussex for its exclusive static showing.
A total of 50 immaculately presented Supra models from all four generations had been invited to attend in anticipation of the new A90 Supra’s arrival.
The majority of the 84 owners and guests arrived in fourth-generation (A80) models, from highly sought-after UK-specification models with manual gearboxes, to examples that illustrated the enduring popularity and immense tuning potential of the iconic 2JZ straight-six engine.
Also in attendance were eight third-generation (A70) models in both original and facelifted guise, four angular second-generation (A60) models, and a single first-generation (A40)model – one of only two examples of the Celica Supra known to exist in the UK.
Tada-san drove the new A90 Supra into the building to rapturous applause from the enthusiasts. He positioned it on a rotating stand and then proudly introduced his “new baby” to the crowd as the culmination of six years of development. It was a moment that marked the first time that all five generations of Toyota Supra had ever appeared together in public.
During the course of the evening, Tada-san was eager to mingle with the guests and chat openly about the A90 project. As an enthusiast himself, he was equally eager to hear from existing owners about what Supra means to them and gain a greater understanding of their expectations for this next chapter in the model’s history.
Commenting on the weekend, Tada-san revealed: “I’m just so happy that we’ve made it to this point. I’ve finally been able to reveal the car to the UK; it’s the happiest day of my life. And to drive it up the hill at Goodwood was a really exciting experience.”
Toyota expects its new Supra to reach the market during the first half of 2019.
Toyota Supra: UK generations and sales
The first Supra was produced in 1978 as the flagship derivative of the contemporary Celica but it was never sold in the UK. The second-generation Celica Supra arrived in the UK in August 1982 and was replaced by the standalone third-generation Supra model in July 1986. The fourth-generation Supra was launched in August 1993 but discontinued in the UK in 1996. Low-volume production of the Mk4 Supra continued in Japan for the domestic market until July 2002.
| YEARS | MODEL | UK SALES |
| 1978 – 1981 | 1st generation (A40) Celica Supra | n/a |
| 1982 – 1985 | 2nd generation (A60) Celica Supra | 4,132 |
| 1986 – 1993 | 3rd generation (A70) Supra | 11,551 |
| 1993 – 1996 | 4th generation (A80) Supra | 623 |
Learn more: History of the Toyota Supra
It seems I’m on my own here. I have zero issue with how you went about the development of this car. The platform and power train is a proven high quality product. The main thing for me is the essence of the supra. An in-line, 6 cylinder turbocharged Engine mounted in a FR configuration. I too have owned the MKIV and loved every single moment. I am positive this will not disappoint too. I have called my local dealer begging them to put my name on a list for the first build slots. I can not wait!
Hi Charlie,
Thank you for the positive feedback. It’s great to hear that you’re so passionate about the Supra!
So, make this model of car in Germany and call it a BMW, and make the same car in japan and call it a Supra, powered by a Toyota engine. See who sells the most units, See what car stands the test of time, See why people buy Toyota.
I’m one of those 623 UK sold Supra mkiV owners, with the 6 speed manual (German) box. I say to Toyota, go collaborate, make the kind of car that you believe will make you proud, it doesn’t matter if you use power units from another source, that will do your new Supra proud. Apple IPhones use Samsung display technology, what’s all the hang up here and puristic nonsense. Time will tell if the decision was the right one. If it is wrong, MkiV’s will be even higher in our esteem.